MIDDLE EAST: Iran’s Revolutionary Guard began large-scale naval and air defense drills near the Strait of Hormuz.

TECHNOLOGY: Gemalto, a French-Dutch digital security company, confirmed that American and British intelligence agencies had hacked into the company’s networks in an attempt to gain access to worldwide mobile phone communications.

Iran: The Revolutionary Guard began large-scale naval and air defense drills near the Strait of Hormuz. (AP)

Israel: US NSA Rice said that PM Netanyahu’s acceptance of an invitation to address the US Congress, without the blessing of the White House, is destructive to US-Israeli ties. (AFP)

Lebanon: France said it will begin shipping USD3 billion worth of weapons paid for by Saudi Arabia to the country’s army in April. (AP)

Syria: Monitoring groups reported that at least 132 Islamic State fighters were killed since Saturday in fighting with Kurdish militia backed by US coalition air strikes in Hasaka. (Reuters)

Yemen: Armed men from the Houthi group took over a special forces army camp in Sanaa after overnight fighting, sources in the camp said. (Reuters)

TECHNOLOGY AND COMMUNICATIONS

Cybersecurity: Gemalto, a French-Dutch digital security company, confirmed that American and British intelligence agencies had hacked into the company’s networks in an attempt to gain access to worldwide mobile phone communications. (NYT)